Horseback Riding Lessons – What Skills Do I Need?

Anyone that wants to get into taking horseback riding lessons needs to research first. Owning a horse is a big responsibility and your number one decision needs to be if you will find a horse to rent or buy your own.

But first, let’s look at what skills you will need to take horseback riding lessons.

– First skill you need is a love of horses.

– Next skill is to work on your posture. You cannot slump in the saddle, and you cannot fidget either. When you move around in a saddle, you may bump the horse with your heels, which sends a cue to your horse. You may not be ready for the horse to move that swiftly. Always look where you are going, not down at the horse. Good posture is one of the benefits of horseback riding.

– Next skill is to make sure you don’t have floppy hands. Again, hands that bounce and move may accidentally hit the horse or pull on the reigns which sends a signal to the horse. You may not notice it, but a slight tug on the reigns can tell the horse to turn one way or the other.

– Next is to remember where your heels are while in the stirrups. Always keep your heels down. This helps with the overall balance and posture while sitting in the saddle.

– Elbows must be tucked in. And, toes must be turned inward as well.

– Let’s concentrate on our thumbs. They must be up in the air, not flat against your hand. You need to have a straight line coming from your elbow to your little finger.

Now that you have the basic skills down for horseback riding lessons next thing to think about is the equipment you will need for safely riding a horse.

– Helmets

– Riding boots

– Riding pants

– Some sort of ID for when you are on a horseback riding trail

To see if your child is ready to ride a horse, there are awesome horseback riding camps to go to. Check here for one in your area: http://www.charlottes-saddlery.com/camps.htm

For more horseback riding tips, check out these articles from a professional riding instructor: http://suite101.com/laura-thompson